Balmy Days in December and, sometimes, February

     My most "recent" entry was on December 17th of last year which wasn't really that long ago. Wasn't 12/17/2025 just yesterday? Weren't my sons young just yesterday and my parents still alive? On that post, I noted that the temperature on that day in mid-December was a balmy 54⁰. 

     After reading that, I felt compelled to write a similar weather-related entry. Today, in Kansas City, the sun was out all day and, the only time I checked the weather today, the temperature was 71⁰ (in early February even). This isn't Minnesota where balmy in February is 32⁰. It can get very cold here in Kansas City in the Winter. However, 71⁰, even here, 500 miles or so south of St. Paul, Minnesota is beyond balmy. I wore a short-sleeved shirt, a skirt & my neon green soccer slides to take Heisenberg for a walk. It felt and, still, feels, wonderful to be outside. On a side note, the Leo in me has a thing for neon green. I have lots of neon-green colored shirts, skirts, pants are - yes - even underwear. 

     When I was outside today and, when I was back inside sitting in my chair doomscrolling, I felt a sense of urgency to either stay outside or make myself go back outside so I could savor this beautiful day; Balmy days in December or February don't happen that often. Balmy days are special because you can actually call them that . . . Balmy. What an interesting sounding word. I wonder if I even took the time to notice if it was balmy when my sons were young and my parents were still alive.  Balmy is an important word because it never lasts very long & it feels so good. Our children get older and our parents depart this world. 

     My parents are Resting in Peace together in the same cemetery plot at a National Cemetery in the Twin Cities, Minnesota-style. My Dad was in the Marines. I'm glad they are together in the afterlife and hope they are keeping each other warm in their underground bunker. Minnesota winters are brutal, long and very cold. They are not for the faint-hearted. I often worry about them being too cold. But, I also hope that the weather is balmy out there for them too and, maybe, they can get outside and watch planes landing at the airport. Oh, and I bet, out there @ Fort Snelling, they see lots of Bald Eagles. Fort Snelling was built right off the Minnesota River and - bonus - the rivers, hopefully, aren't frozen when it's balmy even in December or February in Minnesota or, even, here in Missouri. 

     There's this family narrative that my Dad joined the Marines to get away from his mother who was said to be very domineering. Maybe, she was but I only knew her as a grandmother.  When we stayed at her house as her grandkids, we were required to go to the "throne room" everyday after breakfast. Bringing a book to read to help pass the time was encouraged. Being regular was very important but, sometimes, you needed some time. Balmy & time. Very important commodities. 

     We also had to watch "Lawrence Welk" and ate lunch off tv trays (remember those) every week day while we watched "As the World Turns".  I, also, remember watching Minnesota Twins' baseball on my grandparents giant box TV. The windows were often open so it MUST HAVE been balmy then too. These are stories for another time.

     There's balmy weather still ahead. Heck, I even experienced it today.